Labor Day weekend is all about grilling. But aren't you bored of burgers and hot dogs? And didn't you set fire to your apron the last time you attempted a backyard barbeque. Forget that and head over to Oak Tavern tonight for their own unique version of a Friday night cookout. A whole goat is getting wood grilled and you get to enjoy your share with creamy polenta, roasted vegetables, and chimichurri for $25.

Learn to make sushi by a master.

Nikko by Sunshine

Sushi Roll Class

Sushi is like art. Everyone can draw, but it takes time and skill to make a truly beautiful roll -- or to paint the Sistine Chapel. That's why you need a master to teach you.

Michelangelo might be unavailable for lessons, but on Saturday, August 31 at 1 p.m., Nikko by Sunshine's master chef Sunshine will show you the fine art of making sushi at home at his Brickell restaurant. For $75, you'll sip hot sake while you make the rolls. Then you'll take home two custom sushi rolls, one bottle of hot sake, and a bamboo mat for you to put your sushi making skills to the test at home.

Have a few bloody marys this Sunday.

Laine Doss

Bloody Mary Competition

Sunday, Bloody Sunday. The bloody mary is the iconic drink of the weekend. Part meal, part libation, it's spicy, refreshing, and satisfying like no other cocktail can be. And, while the bloody starts with a basic tomato juice/spice/vodka recipe, the variations are limitless. We've had bloodys that blew our brains out with heat, used pickled okra for a stirrer, and rimmed the glass with bacon.

So imagine what Miami's best bartenders can do when challenged to make their own signature bloody mary at the Broken Shaker this Sunday, September 1. From 3-6pm, enjoy barbecue and music by DJ Reid Waters, as you watch mixologists get creative with the bloody. Oh, of course they'll be plenty of bloodys to drink, too.

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Sunday Brunch...on Monday

The best thing about a three day weekend is the opportunity to brunch on Monday. Chef Danny Serfer is encouraging that kind of behavior at Blue Collar by offering his full Sunday brunch on Labor Day. Enjoy "eggy stuff" like pork & beans ($15) or a duck "McMuffin" ($19); "syrupy stuff" like brioche French toast ($14); or "othery stuff" like shrimp and grits ($14) or a veggie plate ($16). After brunch take a walk or a nap and relax...it's Monday!

Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times, has been featured on Cooking Channel's Eat Street and Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. She won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature about what it's like to wait tables.